Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
Illinois
Baseball Takes Two From Illini
3/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 24, 2001
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Michigan State baseball team (10-8, 2-1) swept Illinois in a doubleheader Saturday (Mar. 24) by scores of 13-7 and 13-8. The win made MSU 3-for-3 in doubleheaders this season and gives them a 2-1 series lead over the Illini.
The Illini started the game fast, as they did yesterday, as three of their first four batters hit doubles, resulting in two runs. The Spartans answered in the top of the second on a fielder's choice by Troy Bergman (Jr., Grosse Pointe). MSU tied the game in the third when Rick Court (Sr., Grosse Pointe) drove in Brett Wattles (So., Rochester). Illinois was quick to retake the lead however, scoring three runs in the bottom of the third inning aided by a two-run homer by Luke Simmons to go ahead, 5-2.
State continued the back-and-fourth battle in the fourth and took the lead after scoring seven runs off five hits. Charlie Braun (So., Grosse Point) got the scoring started by smacking a two RBI double. The Spartans then loaded the bases and scored five consecutive runs to take a 9-5 lead and put an end to Illini starting pitcher Josh Gold's day. Gold gave up five of the runs scored in the inning.
Each team put up one run in the fifth inning, making the score 10-6. Court highlighted a three-run seventh inning for MSU, hitting a two RBI double to make the score 13-6. Illinois added a run in the seventh but its attempted comeback failed, as Domanick Squires (Jr., Rochester) came in for starter Kyle Geswein (Jr., Dayton) to get the final three outs of the game. Geswein struck out four on his way to picking up his second win of the season.
Wattles went 3-for-4 in the win while Court went 2-for-5 with four RBI.
In game two, MSU took a quick two-run lead on two RBI doubles by Court and Geswein. Illinois rallied in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game at two.
The Spartans broke open the game in the third, taking a 9-2 lead off five hits and two costly Illini errors. Bob Malek (So., Canton) got things started with a solo homer to right field, followed two batters later by a two-run shot by Geswein also to right field. MSU added three more hits and four more runs in the inning, which also spelled the end of Illini starting pitcher Reilly Smith's afternoon as Tim Gorski replaced him.
Illinois continued comeback theme for the day in the bottom of the third, rallying to score four runs off five hits. They also added a run in the fifth and one more in the sixth to pull within one, 9-8. (more) The Spartans ended Illinois' comeback hopes in the top of the seventh. Three of the first four batters reached base and Chris McCuiston (Jr., Birmingham) drove them all in on a dramatic, two-out grand-slam home run to right field to put State ahead for good, 13-8.
Brian Gale (Fr., Decatur) picked up his second win of the year, striking out five after entering the game in the third inning for starter Nick Bates (Jr., Blissfield).
Malek went 3-for-3 in the second game of the day with two RBI while Geswein went 3-for-4 with four RBI.
The Spartans and Illini will close out the series Sunday (March 25) at 1 p.m. CST.
Game 1Michigan State 13, Illinois 7Score By Innings R H EMichigan State 011 710 3 13 12 0Illinois 203 010 1 7 9 1
WP- Geswein (2-2)LP- Gold
Game 2Michigan State 13, Illinois 8Score By Innings R H EMichigan State 207 000 4 13 13 1Illinois 204 011 0 8 11 5
WP-Gale (2-0)LP- Smith (2-2)
